We be wurken oan tha booard,
Oll a slaven oan tha cord.
We be pressen owt a saem,
Wile tha yung un sneeks tha craem.

We be rasslen en tha yard
Wile tha varmer’s wurken ard.
We be caaklen weth tha gees
Wile tha public we do flees.

We be sengen weth tha selk
Like melkmaed weth tha melk.
We be coavren up tha feathers
Wile weem weeren owt ar leathers.

We be traapsen oan tha roads
Wile weem weter’n inee toads.
We be soggen croas tha downs
Wile tha gintrees weth tha howns.

We be wurken nite an dae
Droo tha muree moanth a Mae.
We be altren ov ar toon
Fer tha end a sonee Joon.

 We be iver soa gud oan Sundaes
But weem niver soa gud oan Mondaes.
We be midlen droo tha week
But a Saaterdaes musen speek.

We be waarm as inee blaanket
Wile we dubel thrid an twank et.
We be wisht an thurl fer sooer
Wen tha traad be giten pooer.

We be raedee tha boas ta sak
Wen tha tidlee’s art ar bak.
We be westlen wile tes lite
But we ums et wen tes nite.

We be waaken arm en arm
Wen tha beer be like tha barm.
We be puten on tha piskees
Wot we oat t’ oan tha weskees.

We be neeren Sticker’s plaat
Weer we soon well wep tha caat.
We can see tha plaas en site
Soa well wesh ee oll gud-nite.
 

According to Dunstan this was the traditional song of travelling tailors, or ‘Whip the Cats’.

The Dialect here is definitely Mid or East Cornwall as the fourth verse contains ‘we’em’ for we are which would be ‘weer’ or the like in West Cornwall. Dunstan informs us that this song could be extended to any desired length and that a certain tailor being asked “Ow loang do ee rekun We Be be?”. The reply was “Wy bless ee, We Be be so loang az you mind fer en to be. I’ve a knawn un dree mile loang an wauns a braa passel o vower.” – a lovely example of Mid Cornwall Dialect.
 

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